Novelty yarn



March 24, 1959 w. M. LOHR ET AL 2, 8

NOVELTY YARN Filed Oct. 28, 1954 FIG. 2

FIG. 1

FIG.4

FIG?) INVENTORS WILMER MEEKS LOHR ARTHUR LULAY ATTORNEY United States Patent NOVELTY YARN Wilmer Meeks Lohr, Richmond, Va., and Arthur Lulay,

' Wilmington, Del., assignors to E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, Wilmington, DeL, a corporation of Delaware Application October 28, 1954, Serial No. 465,266

3 Claims. (Cl. 28-'81) This invention relates to a novelty yarn for use in producing unusual textured fabrics. More particularly, the invention relates to a novelty yarn prepared from continuous filaments that can be processed easily into textured fiat woven and woven pile fabrics.

Textured fabrics, sometimes known as rough-surfaced fabrics or three dimensional fabrics, can be prepared in the known fabric forms, i.e. flat-woven fabrics and woven pile fabrics (cut-pile fabrics, loop-pile fabrics and tufted fabrics). The preparation of flat-woven fabrics involves the use of two components, the warp and filling, on a flat fabric loom. The warp ends are passed in parallel fashion through the heddles in the harnesses of the loom. They then pass through the dents or splits of the reed which serve to space the ends evenly across the Width. The reed is fastened on top of an oscillating part of the loom known as the lay. When the lay is in its back position, the harnesses operate to raise one set of warp yarn ends while lowering another set. The filling yarn or pick, carried by the shuttle, is then inserted between the upper and lower warp ends. The lay then moves forward and the reed with its upright dents forces the filling yarn against the previous pick to form the fell of the cloth.

To prepare pile fabrics, a third component, namely a second warp system, is passed through a separate series of heddles and dents (or needles in the case of tufted fabrics) :toforrn the fabric pile or surface effect yarn. To prepare woven cut-pile fabrics, two connected base fabrics, one over the other, are prepared and then cut apart. Woven cut-pile fabrics, therefore, require three warp and two filling yarns, the third warp binding the two base fabrics. Woven loop-pile fabrics require two warp andtwo filling yarns. One warp and one filling produce the base fabric. The second warp produces the loop.pile.- The second filling is used as a temporary support, around which the pile loops are formed. The second filling is removed in the final fabric. To prepare tufted fabrics, a plurality of parallel yarn ends are sewn through a fiat-woven base fabric. The pile loops formed in this manner may be left intact to form a loop-pile fabric or cut to make a cut-pile fabric.

Textured fabrics may be prepared by using novelty twisted yarns in the above weaving processes as the warp or filling or both. These special novelty yarns include loop yarns, boucls, knop yarns and slub yarns. For their preparation, they require the special skills of the novelty twister. The twister prepares loop yarns by feeding one yarn end excessively so that when the binder yarn is applied, loops appear at intervals along the length of the binder yarn. Boucls are prepared by forming relatively tight loops on a base yarn, the loops held in place by a binder yarn. Slub yarns are formed by adding a puff or ball of loose yarn during the preparation of the base yarn. Knop yarns are formed by twisting one yarn end about another end many times within a very short space causing enlarged places on the surface of the yarn. In all cases the resulting yarn dis- Patented Mar. 24,

plays wool-like, resilient nubs along the length of a base yarn.

The difficulties attendant in using these yarns in conventional looms are at once apparent. The yarns, when used as warp ends or when sewn on a fabric, must pass through fine apertures. As 'a warp yarn, the ends must pass through the heddle eyes and the reed dents; as sewing yarn, through the eyes of sewing needles. In either case, the wool-like, resilient nubs tend to hang in the apertures or catch in the apertures to cause yarn breaks. Textured fabrics made by using novelty twisted yarns as the warp are therefore difficult to prepare and consequently extremely expensive. Novelty twisted yarns are generally limited to use as filling and the textured effects obtainable are, therefore, restricted.

The object of this invention is to provide a novelty yarn that voids the aforementioned ditficulties; a novelty yarn that can be processed easily as warp or filling into textured fabrics of the flat-woven fabric and pile fabric varieties. Another object is to provide essentially new flat-woven fabrics and pile fabrics. Another object is' to provide a novelty yarn of regenerated cellulose. Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The objects of this invention are achieved by providing a crinkled, continuous filament having nubs at intervals along the length of the filament. The invention further comprises yarn composed of such crinkled, continuous filaments, such yarn giving the appearance of wool-like, resilient nubs along its length. Still further, the invention comprises textile fabrics woven from such yarn.

Figures 14 are illustrations of novelty twisted yarns. Figure 1 illustrates loop yarns. Figure 2 illustrates boucls. Figure 3 illustrates slub yarns. Figure 4 illustrates knop yarns.

Figure 5 is an illustration of nubby, continuous filament yarn.

Figure 6 is an illustration of the yarn of this invention; the crinkled, nubby, continuous filament yarn.

The invention will be described with respect to regenerated cellulose filaments and yarns. However, the invention is not restricted but is meant to include crinkled, nubby filaments and yarns produced from other filamentforming materials such as cellulose nitrate, cellulose acetate, vinyl polymers, acrylics, glass, polyamides, proteins, polyesters, etc.

In general, the base denier of crinkled, nubby, continuous filament, regenerated cellulose yarns of this invention may range from 200 denier to 4000 denier or higher. The nub spacing for optimum textured effects will vary with denier. spacing of about 0.5 inch; 2000 denier, a spacing of about 1.5 inches. vary with denier, in no case being less than 2:1. Contrast ratios as high as 8:1 is most desirable for 2000 denier yarn. The frequency of crinkles will range from 2 to 8 per inch. The optimum textured elfects are obtained when the crinkling effect is concentrated in the heavy denier portions (nubs) of the yarn.

The regenerated cellulose filaments and yarns are preferably prepared by the bucket process. In the bucket process, viscose, a cellulose xanthate solution produced by the reaction of carbon disulfide on cellulose in the presence of caustic alkali, is extruded into an acid-sulfate coagulating and regenerating bath. The filaments formed are passed over feed wheels and then downwardly through a funnel into a rotating bucket to form a compact rayon cake.

To form a nubby yarn, a pulsating motion may be imparted to the viscose filament-forming solution prior to its passage through the spinneret or the filaments after formation may be drawn at abruptly changing linear speeds.

200 denier yarn should have. a

Maximum-to-minimum denier ratios will also' It is preferred to impart a pulsating motion to the filament-forming solution prior to passage of the solution through the spinneret. This can be done by using a pulsating device between the metering pump and the spinneret to interrupt the flow either periodically or in random fashion, or by introducing a pulsating flow of filament-forming solution into a line leading from the pump to the spinneret. Some specific devices for producing this nubby yarn include a variable drive on a spinning pump, plunger pumps with plungers of unequal diameters, gear-type pumps with uneven teeth or with some teeth removed from the gears, a main pump with auxiliary pumps to supply extra spinning solution at intervals, and pumps which do not supply spinning solution but merely function to alter the pressure in the line leading from the spinning pump to the spinneret.

When extruding the filament-forming viscose solution into the acid-sulfate coagulating and regenerating bath to form nubby, continuous filament yarn, it is advisable to adhere to the restriction disclosed in copending application U.S. Serial No. 326,412 filed December 17, 1952 to A. Lulay, now Patent No. 2,729,539. That is, when spinning at speeds greater than 50 yards per minute, the filaments should be converged into a yarn within 12 inches from the spinneret. In this way, the nubs will be retained in the yarn fed to the bucket.

The nubby, continuous filament yarn is shown in Figure 5. This yarn is characterized by relatively tight compact nubs at intervals along the length of continuous filament yarn. Although the use of this yarn avoids the weaving difiiculties previously mentioned for the novelty twisted yarns, the weaver cannot produce textured effects on fabrics from nubby, continuous filament yarn. For textured effects, it is necessary to have wooblike, fiutfy, resilient nubs along the length of the yarn.

Unexpectedly, by crinkling continuous filament nubby yarn, it has been discovered that, instead of tight compact nubs at intervals along the length of the yarn, woollike, flufiy, resilient nubs are produced. This yarn is shown in Figure 6.

Crinkling of nubby, regenerated cellulose continuous filaments may be accomplished in various ways. The filaments may be subjected to special after-treatments. These include chemical solutions or steam which tend to shrink the filaments. Crinkle may be imparted during the spinning process by tensioning or piling together the filament bundles. The filaments may also be passed between fluted rollers before winding to provide crinkling. Preferred methods for producing crinkled, nubby, regenerated cellulose continuous filaments involve no additional process steps and are disclosed in copending applications U.S. Serial Nos. 465,314 and 465,313 filed October 28, 1954 to J. P. Harton and T. E. Mitchell respectively. According to the disclosed methods, the nubby, regenerated cellulose filament bundles may be led over feed wheels and then through a funnel into the receiving bucket. By placing the funnel so that it is not concentric with the receiving bucket, and adhering to the limitations imposed by either Harton or Mitchell, a cake of yarn of crinkled, nubby, regenerated cellulose continuous filaments is produced. By using these preferred methods, the crinkle effect tends to be concentrated in the nub portions of the continuous filaments.

The yarn of this invention composed of crinkled, nubby, continuous filaments is useful for preparing textured fabrics of all varieties. Since the yarn is formed from continuous filaments, the nubs do not hang in the fine apertures of the looms or sewing machines. Since yarn denier appears to vary sinusoidally, there are no abrupt, sharp projections to catch in the apertures and cause yarn breaks.

The textured fabrics prepared using crinkled, nubby continuous filament yarn are characterized by low cost and novel appearance. They are particularly popular as fabrics for upholstery, bedspreads, robes, rugs, corpets, linings for wearing apparel and outer wearing apparel.

Since many different embodiments of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited except to the extent defined in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A yarn having a base denier of 200 to 4000 denier, composed of crinkled, continuous filaments of regenerated cellulose, said filaments having heavy denier portions spaced 0.5 inch to 1.5 inches apart along their lengths; the diameter of said heavy denier portions being 2 times to 8 times the diameter of the base denier of said filaments; the frequency of crinkles in said filaments being 2 to 8 per inch of filament; said crinkles being concentrated in said heavy denier portions.

2. A yarn composed of crinkled, continuous filaments of regenerated cellulose having nubs at intervals along the lengths of said filaments with the crinkle being concentrated in the nubs of the said filaments.

3. A yarn as in claim 2 having from 2 to 8 crinkles per inch and a contrast of at least 2:1.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,620,233 Rosenthal Mar. 8, 1927 2,264,415 Taylor et al. Dec. 2, 1941 2,370,112 Truitt Feb. 20, 1945 2,434,532 Wurzburger Jan. 13, 1948 2,549,179 Deboutteville Apr. 17, 1951 2,572,936 Kulp et a1. Oct. 30, 1951 2,780,833 Braunlich Feb. 12, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 299,291 Great Britain Oct. 25, 1928 

1. A YARN HAVING A BASE DENIER OF 200 TO 4000 DENIER, COMPOSED OF CRINKLED, CONTINUOUS FILAMENTS OF REGENERATED CELLULOSE, SAID FILAMENTS HAVING HEAVY DENIER PORTIONS SPACED 0.5 INCH TO 1.5 INCHES APART ALONG THEIR LENGTHS; THE DIAMETER OF SAID HEAVY DENIER PORTIONS BEING 2 TIMES TO 8 TIMES THE DIAMETER OF THE BASE DENIER OF SAID FILAMENTS; THE FREQUENCY OF CRINKLES IN SAID FILAMENTS BEING 2 TO 8 PER INCH OF FILAMENTS; SAID CRINKLES BEING CONCENTRATED IN SAID HEAVY DENIER PORTIONS. 